On the edge, lighted by the flames of the past, kept healthy and breathing, no better way than thick-skulled Heavy Metal, especially when it is Teutonic. Sure it took this band quite a while to be noticed, but eventually, when push comes to shove, and the will is strong enough, they are here and finally mingling with the rest in English. HAMMERSCHMITT, hailing from Munich, released their first album in English after swiveling in their local scene with covers and German written outputs. "Still On Fire" has been out for some time through the local Massacre Records, to declare it as flamboyant, almost close.

Tracking the steps of early ACCEPT, VICTORY and other spawns of the punchy Hard N' Heavy orientations of the 80's era, "Still On Fire" maintains itself as a solid piece of rock. Chunky riffery, at times some Rock N' Roll flairs while crossing anthemic choruses and bread and butter chops, these are the swell ingredients for a leathery fist fighting German Metal dish. Grinding with pounding Metal flame such as with "Rock Steady", in for a night out with an AC/DC slamming "One Helluva Night", heavy as they could muster pinching "Mean Streak", and the confident reminder that we are all brothers and sisters with "Metalheadz", it may seem as quite an amazing turnout and definitive cornerstone in nowadays old school revival.

Even if we are talking about a party that everyone should go to, it is hard to escape the over basic approach of these guys. Surely that their sound is stellar, and it is hard to not notice the rhythm section slashes, there is a feel that something is missing. Whether additional spike of energy to the mix or plainly the majority of the songwriting that is a bit weary, "Still On Fire" felt is it needed more juice.